Jeremiah's mother, her boyfriend charged with kidnapping, assault

WORCESTER — The mother of a missing Fitchburg boy and the woman's boyfriend were indicted Friday on new charges: kidnapping, assault and reckless endangerment.

A Worcester County grand jury handed up indictments charging Elsa Oliver, the mother of 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver, with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a belt), three counts each of assault and battery and reckless endangerment of a child, kidnapping of a child and permitting an assault and battery on a child causing bodily injury.

Jeremiah, who was last seen by relatives Sept. 14 and whose disappearance is being handled as a homicide, is listed as the victim in some of the indictments, including those alleging kidnapping of a child and permitting an assault and battery on a child causing bodily injury. Two of his siblings are listed as victims in other indictments.

The grand jurors returned indictments charging Alberto L. Sierra, Ms. Oliver's boyfriend, with kidnapping of a child, four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (belt or knife), two counts of assault and battery, three counts of reckless endangerment of a child and single counts of indecent assault and battery on a child and assault and battery on a child causing bodily injury. All of the indictments, except the one charging indecent assault and battery on a child, one count of assault and battery and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (knife), list either Jeremiah or one of his siblings as the alleged victim.

Elsa Oliver is listed as the victim in one of the assault and battery indictments and one of the assault and battery with a dangerous weapon indictments. The alleged victim of the indecent assault and battery on a child is not named in the indictment.

Ms. Oliver, 28, of 276 Kimball St., Fitchburg, and Mr. Sierra, 23, of 164 Meadowbrook Lane, Fitchburg, were previously charged in Fitchburg District Court. Ms. Oliver was facing two counts each of reckless endangerment of a child and being an accessory, after the fact, to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in the district court.

Mr. Sierra was charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault and battery on a child causing bodily injury.

Ms. Oliver is being held in lieu of $100,000 cash bail. Mr. Sierra remains in custody without bail.

Their cases will be moved to Worcester Superior Court as a result of the indictments.

The cases of three others charged with interfering with a criminal investigation and misleading police are still pending in the Fitchburg court.